Mayo TD calls for X to take accountability of AI-generated sexual abuse content
In the wake of the news that Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, has been used to generate sexually explicit images of women and children on X (formerly Twitter), Deputy Keira Keogh, chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Equality, has called for penalties to be imposed on social media companies that fail to protect vulnerable users online.
Deputy Keogh, Fine Gael TD for Mayo, condemned the platform for failing to safeguard women and children, and urged the social media giant to “step up to the plate” and cooperate fully with the State regulator and the law.
“Over the weekend, it became clear that an AI chatbot on X has been accepting and following through on prompts by users to remove clothes from photos of women, including minors,” Deputy Keogh said.
“While the act itself is obviously vile, it is illegal in Ireland to share child pornography and non-consensual intimate images, and there is an expectation that social media companies will comply and take the necessary actions.”
The AI tool has drawn criticism for creating sexualised deepfake images of women and children.
Such content is prohibited under Irish law. Section 5 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 makes it a crime for an individual to knowingly produce, distribute, print, or publish child sexual abuse material, with a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment.
Similarly, under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, also known as Coco’s Law, posting a sexualised image of someone without their consent, including intimate photos or images of underwear, carries a maximum sentence of seven years.
Deputy Keogh described the situation as a “textbook” example of why social media platforms must face consequences when explicit content is accessible online. She called for reforms to the system regulating social media and stressed the role of tech companies in online safety.
“While we are prepared to advance age verification systems and implement robust online safety education, it is imperative that tech companies play their part. We are committed to ensuring that Coimisiún na Meán has the resources to regulate platforms effectively and impose tough penalties on tech giants who permit harmful content. Enough is enough,” she said.
Deputy Keogh concluded that Elon Musk’s platform must urgently address any shortfalls in its features that allow the generation of explicit content, and must cooperate with the State regulator and the law.
In a statement, X has said: “We take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material, by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary,
"Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content."
The Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Niamh Smyth, has urged the public to boycott X to send a message to Elon Musk over the distribution of non-consensual deepfake sexual images.
The Fianna Fáil TD has sought a meeting with X’s European headquarters in Dublin to address the issue.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.